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No. 91,682. Patented June 22, 1869 I 2 eeeeeeeeee at x G. H. SMITH &WALKER.

VBLOUI H Y /A Patented June 22, 1869.

dished ims CHARLES H. SMITH AND GEORGE D. WALKEROF BROOKLYN,

NEW YORK.

Letters Patent No. 91,682, dated June 22, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN VELQCIPEDES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making but of thesame.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES H. SMITH and GEORGE D. WALKER, of Brooklyn,in the county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Velocipedes; and we do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the saidinvention, reference being had to theannexed drawing, making part of this specification, wherein- Eigure 1 isa side elevation of atwo-wheeled velocipe e.

Figure 2 is a vertical section of the front post and steering-mechanism.

Figure 3 is a similar View of a modification of said parts. i

Figure4 is a cross-section at the line a: a: of fig. 2;

Figure 5 represents a modification of the reach and jaws for the rearwheel.

Similar marks of reference denote the same parts.

The object of this invention is to render the vehicle known as thevelocipede better fitted for riding over rough roads or pavements, bytaking the jolts'from slight obstructions upon springs, and spendingtheir force before they reach the seat or steering-handle, thus makingthe exercise more agreeable and less fatiguing to the rider. I

Thenature of this invention "c0n'sists First, in applying a spiral orother spring below'the steering-handle, so that any joltfrom passingover an obstruction, in passing up the steering-post, is taken by thespring, the handle giiring at the moment, and coming back to place bythe return of the spring, (the handle not being rigidly attached to thesteering-post of the jaws of the front wheel,) the handle resting uponsaid spring, and fitted to slide upon said steer ing-post, but, at thesame time, always being available for steering:

Second, in resting the perch, where -16 connects with the supports ofthe front and rear wheel, upon springs, the parts being constructed soas to-exclude dirt, so that thesesprings perform for the perch what thespring in the first part of our invention does for the handle, viz,neutralizing the slight jar and concussion which result from. ridingover even comparatively smooth pavements, which jarring the ordinaryvelocipede communicates to the rider, paralyzing the arms and posteriorparts of the. person after a short time; and, dirt and dust beingexcluded from the bearings of the perch, a large amount of friction isavoided- In thedrawingareprcsents the frond-and b, the rear wheel of anordinary two-wheel velocipede; and we here remark that our invention isnot confined in its application to anyparticular kind of velocipede,butwe propose to apply it, wherever available, on that class of vehicles.

0 isthc handle; d,:the sleeve, which encircles the steering-post g, andforms a support for it; and a e are the forks, which have on them thebearings, 8,

for the front wheel.

The steering-post g, which is connected to the forks e, terminates atits top as an exterior flange, 1, which, resting upon the sleeve d,forms the hearing-support for the forks c and front wheel.

In this post g, we form a square or polygonal hole, 6, extending fromthetop down to abont'halt' the dis: tance to the reach'or. perch h,- andthis'post g, instead of, as usually, terminating in a screw for thehandie and holding-nut, presents a. broad, flat surface, with the hole'5 in it, inwhich is inserted the square or polygonal rod is, which has,on its upper end,'the handles, fastened to-itiu" any convenient manner,-so that, as the handle is turned, the rod k and post g are also turned,to steer the velocipede. This rod It extends nearly to the bottom of thehole 2', and rises above the post g high enough to bring the handle to-aconvenient position for steering; and said hand leisheld up to its placeby a spiral spring, m, (or a rubber ring around the rod 70 might beused,) which spring rests upon the flange 1, of the top of the steeringpost g, and takes under the hub of the steeringann c.

' It will thus be seen that the steering-arm, although not rigidlyconnected with the steering-post, controls its n1oveu 1ents,-and anyjolt from thewhecl communisated to said post is not felt by the handsgrasping the handle, the spring at giving, and allowing the rod to sinkdeeper into the hole i, and returni. g the parts immediately to place. Ablock of rubber, 'i, is placed at the bottom of the hole 6, so that, incase the rod it should be brought too far down, it would not strike themetal of the post 9. In fig. 3, we have shown a modification of thisconstruction, the handle 0 fitting upon the rod 75', which rod slides inthe square hole, 1', in the sleeve '42, and the spring at is appliedbetween the lower part of the rod is and the portion k ofthe sleeve d,said sleeve :1 being connected to the steering-post g by the pin 9, andthe operation of the parts is the same as in fig. 2. To prevent the rodis from coming out accidentally, we form a slot, 3, in the side of thesaid rod ak, and a hole, 4, in the sleeve (1. a

A screw, 5, inserted through the hole 4, connects the rod is and post g,the slot allowing the necessary vertical play of said rod k, andprevents the said rod k disconnecting from the steering-post g.

The reach h, where it rests upon the top of the forks 0, has formed uponits under side a circular flange, o,

forming ran-inverted cup, somewhat larger than the steering-post, whichpasses through the centre of said cup.

The upper portion of the forks e is formed with a circular flange, 0',leaving a, recess, p, the inner circumference oi'said fiange 0' being atrifle smaller than the outer circumference of the flange o, which setsin said recess, leevingeround the post g an; annular space, for

the insertionof the spring q, which thus sustains the weight of thefront end of the-perch, and, consequently, revents all jolting from thefront wheel passing to he seat.

This construction of parts keeps out dust and dirt from the hearingoft-he reach. which would cause friction in the bearing.

The spring q mightbe a. block of rubber.

The rear fbrks of the perch or reach h are formed rounded or square,and, whether the perch is formed cei ve said red lens set forth.

The seat-spring t is to be applied to the reach k n any desired manner.

Pins 18, upon the rods 'r, entering slots in thesockets 3, allow thenecessary playof the =reach,a.nd prevent the disconnection of the parts.

.The jaws e of the front wheel inighthe fitted with sockets similar tothose on. the rear wheel, the jaws e entering said sockets, and restinguponsprings; What we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is.-

1. .Tlre spring m, around the rod is, in combination with said rod'k,formed at-its upper end so as to reeeive thehandle c, and thesteering-post fitted to re- 2. A spring, placed between thesteering-arm'of a 'relocipedennd the steering posnfor the purposes andsubstantially as set'forth. 3. The perch 1:, formed with the flange 0,forks e,

thrilled-with the flange 0', sp'ringq, and 'steeling-post 9, combinedand arranged-substantially as set forth, 1 4. The perch 7c, socketss',end'sp1ings 7-,ell combined and arranged substantially as set forth.-

InRvitness whereof, we have. hereunto set our signaltu'res,.thi's 13thday of April, A. D, 1869.

vCHAS. H. SMITH; 'Witnesses: GEO. I). WALKER.

J. N. WEs 'r oN,* Geo. i. 'Pmoxnnr.

